WALES should claim reparations from England for centuries of "colonial exploitation and social and economic deprivation," it was claimed yesterday.

WALES should claim reparations from England for centuries of "colonial exploitation and social and economic deprivation," it was claimed yesterday.

Launching its Assembly election manifesto yesterday the Independent Wales Party (IWP) suggested that in 1999 while &#xA3;16bn was raised in taxes from Wales, only &#xA3;13bn was returned to the country through public spending.

Party leader Owain Williams said given the freedom to run our own affairs his party would deliver the best hospitals and schools and an integrated transport service that is second to none.

Opponents immediately dismissed the manifesto as political fantasy.

Also Welsh water is being sold to England at rock bottom prices while consumers here are forced to pay almost 20% more for their supplies than those in the Midlands, says the IWP.

If sold at a fair price Welsh water would generate enough cash to build at least two new hospitals a year, it says.

Mr Williams, lead candidate on the IWP regional list for North Wales, claimed Welsh ownership of water supplies would unlock a "secret Elan Valley trust fund" set up 20 years ago between Welsh Water and Severn Trent and now estimated to be worth more than &#xA3;100m.

He said, "By the time this fund is realised it will be worth &#xA3;600m at the very least - and as things stand it all goes to Severn Trent."

Under the deal, Wales is also forced to sell millions of gallons of water a day to Severn Trent at only 2p a thousand litres, said Mr Williams.

As a result consumers in Wales pay 18% more for their supply than those in the Midlands, he said.

Mr Williams claims Wales has not enjoyed the full benefits of Objective One because the &#xA3;1.2bn it received in aid was never matched by an equal amount from the Treasury - as was supposed to happen under the European funding programme.

The IWP says it would renegotiate Wales's membership of the European Union and take water, electricity and rail back into public ownership.

It also promises to: Eliminate hospital waiting lists by creating separate hospitals for elective and accident and emergency treatment; Promote bilingual education at all levels with Welsh and English as equal working languages in national life; Create an integrated national defence and emergency service saving Wales &#xA3;1.2bn a year in English defence expenditure, and exploit Celtic sea oil and gas reserves in the interest of the nation.

A spokesperson for the Labour Party said, "It's ridiculous to be talking about reparations on this weekend of all weekends when people can see the benefits that tourism brings to Wales and the benefits of partnership."